• Jessica Dennis, Beth Potter, Tim Ramsay, and Ryan Zarychanski.
• Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. dennis.jessica@gmail.com
• Inj. Prev. 2010 Aug 1; 16 (4): 219-24.

BackgroundBicycle helmet legislation has been variably implemented in six of 10 Canadian provinces. The objectives of this study were to determine the association between the comprehensiveness of helmet legislation and both helmet use and bicycle ridership.MethodsAnalysis of helmet use was based on data from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) and included respondents from three Canadian provinces (Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Nova Scotia). Analysis of bicycle use was based on data from the 2000-01, 2003, 2005, and 2007 cycles of the CCHS and included respondents from all provinces. In the time between the 2000-01 and 2007 cycles, two provinces (Prince Edward Island (PEI) and Alberta) implemented helmet legislation.ResultsHelmets were reportedly worn by 73.2% (95% CI 69.3% to 77.0%) of respondents in Nova Scotia, where legislation applies to all ages, by 40.6% (95% CI 39.2% to 42.0%) of respondents in Ontario, where legislation applies to those less than 18 years of age, and by 26.9% (95% CI 23.9% to 29.9%) of respondents in Saskatchewan, where no legislation exists. Though legislation applied to youth in both Ontario and Nova Scotia, helmet use was lower among youth in Ontario than among youth in Nova Scotia (46.7% (95% CI 44.1% to 49.4%) vs 77.5% (95% CI 70.9% to 84.1%)). Following the implementation of legislation in PEI and Alberta, recreational and commuting bicycle use remained unchanged among youth and adults.ConclusionsCanadian youth and adults are significantly more likely to wear helmets as the comprehensiveness of helmet legislation increases. Helmet legislation is not associated with changes in ridership.

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